1.7.1.1
(08-15-2004)Background on the Servicewide Research Council

The Servicewide Research Council (SRC) was established in early 2001,
shortly after the new IRS organization, with research units embedded in the
Operating Divisions and Functional Units,
"stood up."
In
part, the Servicewide Research Council was designed to identify
"
gaps and overlaps"
and to ensure that important cross-functional research
efforts did not suffer unintentional neglect due to the new organizational
structure.

1.7.1.2
(08-15-2004)Purpose and Scope of the Servicewide Research Council

The Servicewide Research Council serves as a forum for sharing information,
coordinating crosscutting activities and resolving procedural issues that
affect the execution of research and analysis across operating units. Additionally,
the SRC serves as a vehicle to reach mutual agreement on the use of any common
assets (portfolio) intended to serve the entire IRS Research
"
enterprise,"
and also as the forum for resolving other issues related
to research and analysis affecting high impact cross-divisional projects and
initiatives.

The scope of the SRC is broad and flexible but limited. The SRC recognizes
that set procedures on research issues affecting a single operating division
or function will be the responsibility of the business units. In addition,
the SRC encourages the resolution of cross-business-unit research related
issues at the lowest appropriate level. Finally, the SRC supports the authority
and accountability which resides in the operating divisions and the functions.

1.7.1.3
(08-15-2004)What the SRC Does

As stated in its Charter, located at http://otac.no.irs.gov/Framework/Councils/SRC/SRCCharter.doc,
the Servicewide Research Council is intended to provide a forum for sharing
information (including best practices), for coordinating cross-cutting activities,
and for resolving procedural issues that affect research efforts across the
entire IRS. All these efforts further the goal of improving the efficiency
of the IRS Research enterprise.

One way the Servicewide Research Council encourages improved efficiency
in research across the IRS is by overseeing the provision of several forms
of research infrastructure. For example, training is an important element
of research infrastructure. The Servicewide Research Council has established
a Training Subgroup (see http://otac.no.irs.gov/Framework/Councils/SRC/Subgroups/srcsubgroups.htm)
to oversee a common training fund for the IRS Research Community. This Subgroup
is charged with developing procedures to ensure access to appropriate training
for research staff across the IRS.

A second example of research infrastructure is ensuring that IRS research
products are of uniformly high quality. In this regard, the Servicewide Research
Council sponsors the Quality Assurance Council (http://qac.web.irs.gov/),
which provides feedback to researchers on the form and substance of research
proposals and reports. The SRC also has taken a leading role in raising the
visibility of research done at the IRS, by sponsoring an annual IRS Research
Conference.

Finally, access to data is a key element of research infrastructure.
NHQ Research (http://research.irs.gov/) maintains and provides access to several
data systems for research staff throughout the IRS. The Servicewide Research
Council has established a Data Subgroup to help develop procedures for determining
what research data is desired and how best to provide access to that data.
The Data Subgroup developed and promulgated Research Data Standards for the
IRS research community (see IRM 1.7.2).

Information sharing at the Servicewide Research Council promotes the
adoption of
"best practices"
across the various research
units by providing a forum where these practices can be discussed and shared.
To the extent that one unit develops processes or procedures that enable it
to function more effectively, these advances can be readily shared across
the IRS research enterprise. Moreover, this information sharing provides an
opportunity for the research units to determine whether efforts in one unit
are being duplicated somewhere else in the IRS, potentially improving resource
allocation across the research community.

The Servicewide Research Council also promotes research endeavors across
the IRS through the Strategic Planning process. Each of the Research Units
is encouraged to undertake research that can develop or support new initiatives
to better target IRS initiatives or to lessen taxpayer burden. Moreover, participation
in the strategic planning process by the SRC serves to uncover areas where
operating units can and should collaborate on research initiatives.

1.7.1.4
(08-15-2004)Relationship to the Strategy & Resources Committee and Sources
for SRC Issues

The SRC is a subgroup of the Commissioner’s Strategy & Resources
Committee (S&RC). The S&RC was established in August 2003. The S&RC
will assist the SRC in deciding what research matters fall under its strategic
planning, budget coordination, and performance measurement responsibilities.

1.7.1.5
(08-15-2004)Membership

Permanent Membership -The permanent SRC membership
includes the leaders of the research function from each of the four operating
divisions, from Criminal Investigation, from the National Taxpayer Advocate,
and from National Headquarters. The permanent members are:

Director, Research, Analysis and Statistics (as chair of the SRC)

Research Director, Wage and Investment

Research Director, Small Business/Self Employed

Research Director, Large and Mid Size Business

Research Director, Tax Exempt and Government Entities

Research Director, Criminal Investigation

Research Director, National Headquarters Office of Research

Director, Statistics of Income

Director, Office of Program Evaluation and Risk Analysis

Director, National Research Program

Director, Servicewide Policy, Directives and Electronic Research

Senior Research Advisor to the National Taxpayer Advocate

Alternate Members - Each permanent member may
appoint an alternate to serve on the SRC when the permanent member is unavailable.
The alternate will have full participatory rights.

Quorum Requirement -With 12 permanent SRC members
identified, a quorum will be deemed as eight or more SRC members or an identical
number of permanent members and alternates.

1.7.1.6
(08-15-2004)Roles and Responsibilities

The SRC’s roles and responsibilities include fostering a collaborative
framework for producing research results by:

Providing a forum for sharing information on research activities and resource
utilization.

Ensuring cross-unit coordination where necessary.

Articulating the needs of various organizations for research data and
infrastructure.

Sharing best practices in research methodology and measurement where necessary.

Providing strategic management of the research portfolio consistent with
the Servicewide strategic plan and budget.

Responsibilities also include supporting the Strategy & Resources
Committee and maintaining a strategic focus by: